Love is Trust
by Xlovestory33X
Summary: Everything is finally looking up for Clare and Eli. But when Fitz returns to Degrassi as a supposed new and improved person, he puts a strain on their relationship. Eli, however, isn't buying Fitz's charade. Eli/Clare
1. Chapter 1

**Hello there! :) This is a story based off the CRAZY promo where Fitz comes back. Kind of my take on what I think could happen. Anyways, as always, please ENJOY! =)**

It's been a month since I confessed my hoarding to Clare and almost four months since we started dating. For the first time since Clare and I grew close, everything is running smoothly. No drama, no conflict. Our relationship couldn't get any better. Adam supports us even though we always give him "the runs." Her parents are starting to adjust to the divorce as is she. Clare comes over and helps me clean my room on the weekends. I know it must be hard for her to see me struggle to throw things away because of Julia. No current girlfriend would want a boyfriend who is a hoarder because of his ex-girlfriend…wait, what? No, yeah that came out right. But Clare, man. She is the strongest support system a guy could ask for. And selfish as I am, I could never throw that stuff out without her prompting me to.

So, as a way of showing my gratitude, I'm beginning to plan an amazing night out for our four month anniversary. I don't have anything planned yet…but I will soon enough. Hopefully. Maybe I should run this by Adam. He's a sucker for that romantic stuff.

I park Morty in the school parking lot and as I get out I see Clare walking towards me in her purple polo and knee length khaki skirt. She's the only person who could make this stupid uniform look so damn good. I smirk to her, as always. She smiles and looks the down, the blush inevitably rising to her cheeks.

"Good morning, Blue Eyes." I state when she's close enough to hear me.

"Hi Eli." She walks up to me and gives me a quick peck on the cheek. I grab her hand and we start walking towards the school.

"You know, I honestly won't care when you guys get suspended for PDA because I warned you enough times." Here comes Adam rolling his eyes at us. "You guys give me the runs," he says after scrunching up his nose. I unwillingly drop Clare's hand.

"Happy?" I ask him.

He wedges himself between Clare and I and wraps his arms around our shoulders. "I am now. Got my two best buds right here and there's Fiona coming towards us right now. I'll catch you guys later!" He exclaims as he practically sprints towards his girl. I look down at Clare who's beaming with a huge smile on her face as she looks up at me. I roll my eyes.

"What?" She asks. "They're cute."

"Whatever." I state as I open the door for her and we walk into Degrassi.

The bell signaling the start of another boring day at school rings and Clare and I begin to depart to our classes.

"See you at lunch?" I ask her as her back is to her locker and we're as close as possible without breaking any PDA rules.

Her face drops. "I, um, actually have a Christian Club meeting at lunch."

Damn Jesus Club. Always taking my Clare away from me. "That's fine. How bout I give you a ride home after school?" I quickly glance down the hallway and all I see are students rushing to get to class, no administration in sight. I inch my face towards Clare's.

As always, she stutters at our proximity. "Y-yea-yeah. Th-that would b-be-" I cut her off as I quickly touch my lips to hers.

"Later, Edwards." I say as I walk towards class. I glance behind and Clare's still standing there, fingertips brushing her lips, a blush very evident on her face. I turn back proud of the effect I have on her.

**And that concludes chapter one. I will update soon. Thanks for reading! Reviews are always appreciated. :]**


	2. Chapter 2

**Oookie dookie. Here is chapter two. This time it is in Clare's POV. Dedicated to purple389 for totally making me smile. Please ENJOY!**

I stood there dumbfounded by Eli's surprise kiss. I shake my head regaining my composure and walk towards class. I easily zone out Ms. Oh's lecture during Media Immersion. My thoughts are taken over by the one and only Eli Goldsworthy. This boy will be the death of me. I laugh under my breath. Eli and I have been going out almost four months now. Much longer than KC and I ever did. I'm a little conflicted with my feelings right now. I mean I know I care about Eli more than anyone else at the current moment. But, love? I've never been in love. How am I supposed to know what it feels like? I know that I more than _like_ Eli…I don't know. It's not like Darcy's here to confide in. And I always talk to Alli about my relationship with Eli, but I can tell it makes her sad when I smile over him and she can't reciprocate those feelings because she hasn't had a boyfriend since the incident with Drew. I'm happy she hasn't though. She needs time to just be Alli. So, as crazy as it sounds, I've developed a really close bond with Eli's mom, CeCe. Would it be weird if I talked to her about this? I don't really want to ask my parents about love right now. Plus, they'll probably just shrug it off as a stupid high school crush. I guess CeCe it is. I'll try and find time to talk to her without Eli noticing.

The bell rings and I make my way to my Christian Club meeting. Everyone looks up at me with worry in their eyes since the last time I was here I left in tears. I smile and take a seat. It starts as always with a prayer and then one girl sitting next to me discusses her grandmother's recent death. In tears, she recounts stories and I immediately grab her hand offering her my support. I was so transfixed by her speech that I didn't notice another student enter the room and join our circle. Once mystery girl finished, I looked up and my eyes landed on the last person I ever expected to see at a Christian Club meeting. No, not Eli. He's been here before. My eyes widen as he looks over at me. Fitz.

He offers me a small smile. I immediately look anywhere but at him. What is he doing here? Last time I saw him he got arrested. Why would the school let back the person who almost stabbed my boyfriend right in front of me? Finally, the bell rings and I rush out the room towards English before I come into any contact with Fitz.

I practically sprint down the hallway and into Ms. Dawes' class. I search frantically for Eli and all I see is Adam. I drop my stuff on my desk and look at my friend. "Adam, where's Eli?" I ask.

"Nice to see you too Clare." He rolls his eyes.

"Adam, where is Eli?" I ask again, more sternly this time.

He looks up at me concerned. "He was on his way to his locker the last time I saw him."

I nod and run out the room only to collide with Eli in the doorway. He immediately grabs my waist before I fall. "In a hurry, Edwards?" He smirks at me.

I ignore his comment. "Fitz is back." I state. Eli's playful features immediately harden and he lets go of his hold on me. Slowly, he grabs my hand and leads me back to my desk and takes his seat in front of me. Adam looks from Eli to me and back to Eli.

"Start from the beginning." Eli says.

**Thanks for reading. I'll update soon. Reviews are always appreciated =)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello! This is dedicated to all you AMAZING reviewers :) Enjoy!**

"_Fitz is back."_ Once she said those words, everything turned red. I walk her back over to her desk and ask her to start her story from the beginning. She looks up at me and I sense worry in her eyes. I immediately offer her a small smile. She continues.

"I was at my Christian Club meeting and one student walked in late. I was too busy listening to the girl next to me that I didn't bother to look up and see who it was. Once I did, I saw Fitz and-"

"Hold the phone." I jump in. "_Fitz_ was at a _Jesus Club_ meeting?" What the freaking hell?

Clare nods. "Anyways, he noticed me looking at him and he smiled, but I immediately looked away. I avoided him all of lunch and left the meeting as the bell rang. You know the rest." Fitz smiled at my lady? Who does he think he is after almost stabbing me?

I'm speechless. Thank goodness Adam starts talking. "Okay, so Fitz is back. No big deal. We just ignore him."

"No big deal?" I practically shout at him causing other students to look at me. "Sorry." I offer an apology. Adam nods. "This is Fitz we're talking about. Violent bully Fitz." I take a breath. "How the hell did he get granted admission to Degrassi after what he did?"

"I don't know." I look at Clare who is silently shaking her head. "But Eli, maybe Adam is right. I mean it's not like we _have_ to talk to him. Why don't we just ignore him?" She offers. Ignore him? How many times must I tell these two that the only way to deal with a bully is to keep them scared? As if she is reading my thoughts, Clare looks straight at me. "You promised Eli." Damn. She's right. After Vegas Night, I promised her I wouldn't go down the violent/revenge path again. I nod.

"Alright class. Let's get started." I turn towards the front. "Today, we'll be discussing…" I zone Dawes out. Fitz is back. The guy who almost caused me to lose Clare is back. The guy who almost stabbed me is back. Shit.

The rest of the school day continues without me registering much. I still can't wrap my mind around the fact that I will have to see Fitz every day. I walk towards my locker and shake my head in disbelief. This school demands we wear uniforms and doesn't allow me to kiss Clare whenever I want, but they let a kid who brought a knife to a school dance back in? What's wrong with administration these days?

"Hey." I look to my left and see Clare smiling at me. I smirk right back.

"Ready to go?" I ask her. She nods. The second we're off campus and in the parking lot I grab Clare's hand and walk her to Morty. I open the passenger door for her.

"Thank you." She smiles up at me.

I take my position in the driver's side and start towards Clare's house. The car ride starts off very silent. Clare looks over at me and squeezes my hand that's gripping the wheel. I sneak a glance at her and smile. Yes, smile not smirk. I pull up to her house and shut off Morty's engine. "Eli?"

"Yeah?" I ask her.

"Tell me what you're thinking." I look at her and see curiosity in her eyes. I tell her how I don't think Fitz should be allowed to return to Degrassi after they enacted all these stupid new rules because he put the school in lockdown. She looks at me understandingly.

"I know it doesn't seem fair Eli. I don't think it is right at all to have him back. But he is. There is nothing we can do about it. Let's just continue as we were. Everything is finally good with us. You and I both know we can't handle much else right now." She's referring to her family life and my hoarding. I nod.

"I know. It just pisses me off."

She laughs. "I know how that feels. My English partner makes me feel like that all the time." She replies sarcastically.

I smirk. She scoots closer to me and I lean down and catch her lips with mine. Our foreheads rest against each other. Her eyes are closed and she looks so serene making Fitz the last thing on my mind. Against my will, she pulls away and begins to exit the car. She turns back and smiles at me. I smirk back before driving towards my house.

I say my usual greetings to my parents. My mom, as always, asks how Clare is doing. I look at her and she immediately senses something is wrong. "What's going on Baby Boy?"

And then I tell my parents about Fitz's return. My mom shakes her head. "What the hell is wrong with that school?" My dad asks.

I shrug my shoulders. "Beats me."

"Don't let him get to you Eli. Focus on school, Clare, and cleaning that messy room of yours." My mother smiles at me.

"Sure thing." I say as I make my way towards my room. I open the door (there is no longer a lock) and walk into my room in progress. With all the work we've done, Clare and I have got at least a quarter of the room done. It definitely isn't easy throwing it all out, but I'm getting there. I think. I hope so.

As I put my bag down on my bed my thoughts wander back to Fitz. With all my frustration and anger, I grab a box and began dumping random crap into it with ease. Not caring about throwing the objects away. Maybe Fitz coming back is a good thing after all? Hell, who am I kidding? Fitz coming back a good thing? I think not.

**Thanks for reading! I try to update as fast as I can! Reviews are appreciated cus they make me smile :D**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey there folks! So here is chapter four. I like the way it turned out. I hope you do too! Please Enjoy! =)**

I wake up with a smile on my face. It's Friday. The sun is shining, the birds are singing. Tonight I go to Eli's house to help him with his room. As I get up and begin to get ready for school, my thoughts wander to the amount of tension this past week has entailed. Whenever Eli, Adam, and I are walking around the hallways at school, we are on our toes awaiting a random encounter with Fitz. Not much has happened yet. We've seen him in the cafeteria a couple of times and the hallways on our way to classes, but Plan Ignore Fitz is running perfectly. See? I told Eli this months ago. If you ignore him, you won't provoke him. Plain and simple.

I make my way downstairs and have breakfast with my mom. It's her turn to spend the week with me.

"How has school been Clare?" She asks.

"Same as always. I'm getting better in English though." I smile. Thanks to Eli of course. No need to mention that to my mom. I've told her that I was completely out of my right mind during the family dinner, but she still has her doubts about him.

She nods. "How is Alli doing?"

"We Skype practically every night. She's doing well; a little bored with school. I just wish she would come back to Degrassi. It's not the same without her." I say frowning.

"But you're holding up okay, right? Alli wasn't your only friend." My mom offers. She's been like this for a couple of days now. Always asking me if I'm doing okay.

"Yeah, mom. I'm always with Eli and Adam. Jenna and I hang out sometimes too." She smiles at me. I pause. "Mom, I really don't want to sound rude, but what's going on? How come all of a sudden you're asking me if I'm okay all the time? Not that it's wrong to care, but are _you_ okay?"

"I just worry about you Clare. Your father and I put you through a lot the past couple of months. I feel like we left you alone for a long time."

I look at her understandingly. "You guys did for a while Mom. Honestly though, I'm really fine now. I know you might not like him, but Eli was there for me when you and Dad weren't. Give him some credit. Without his support, I might not be doing so well right now." My heart is beating really fast. I've never told my Mom about that before.

"I'm glad to hear it Clare. Maybe you can invite Eli to dinner again sometime soon. We can start over?" She asks me.

I grin. "Sure, Mom."

"Let's go. I'll drive you to school," she says as she grabs our plates.

As I'm walking to my locker, I smile to myself. Life is good. Sure it might not be this great tomorrow, but Eli shared a quote with me a little while ago. "The living moment is everything. - D.H. Lawrence." And right now, _everything_ is looking up. I rotate my lock entering my combination. As I open my locker, I hear someone clear their throat. I look to my left.

"Hey Clare." My eyes widen and my jaw drops. I'm speechless. Why is Fitz talking to me? "I was just wondering if you remember the quote from the Christian Club meeting. The one Andrew shared."

So I know I'm supposed to be ignoring him, but it's not like he's asking me to break a commandment. "Yeah, um, it was Joshua 1:9."

He smiles, "Thank you. And I know this sounds weird, but I had some questions about faith and God. Do you have a minute?" So Fitz wants to be a Christian now? As much as I advocate my religion, I know that Eli would not be comfortable with this. I'm not even comfortable with this.

"Look Fitz. It's great that you want to know more about Christianity, but maybe you should talk to someone else about this."

He nods. "Yeah. Thanks anyway." And with that he turns around and walks away. The bell rings and I make my way to class bewildered with what just happened. Fitz a Christian? I guess he really wants to change his life around after what happened on Vegas Night. It's not like I want to be his friend or anything, but I respect the fact that he is trying to become a better person.

It's finally lunch and I make my way to the table where Eli, Adam, and Fiona are seated. Yeah, after Fiona and Adam got together, she's been hanging out with us a little. She's mainly with Holly J, but she takes time to spend with us as well. I was afraid she would be weird around me taking that I kissed Declan's neck, but when I confronted her about it in secret, she just laughed and told me not to worry about it. She's actually really cool once you get to know her. I take a seat next to Eli as he smiles up at me.

"Dude I'm telling you. _The Goon_ is getting more preposterous every issue." Eli exclaims to Adam. I look at Fiona and we both roll our eyes. Eli and Adam talking about comics as always.

"Whatever man. I still think it's like one of the best comics ever!" Adam responds. I laugh. Boys will be boys.

Most of lunch I sit there quietly. I want to bring up my conversation with Fitz, but I know Eli is about to get really mad really fast.

"You doing alright there Clare?" I look up to see Fiona looking at me.

"Yeah-I just-um…"

"Spit it out Edwards." I look at Eli.

"Please don't get mad. " I say. He looks at me curious. "I talked to Fitz today." His eyes immediately harden. "And now you're mad," I mumble.

"Well what do you expect? It's not like I take pleasure in you talking to my nemesis."

"So what went down?" Adam asks me.

"Nothing 'went down.' He just asked me a couple of questions."

"What exactly did he ask you?" Eli asks me.

"Just some questions about Christianity." I say looking down at my food.

"So what you're all buddy-buddy with Fitz now that he's Christian?"

"It's not like that Eli. If you must know I told him to ask someone else. You told me not to talk to him and it's not like I enjoy his company."

Eli shakes his head. As intense as this is, I can't help but feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Eli's so protective of me.

"Don't worry about it Eli. I think he got the hint that I don't want to talk to him. It's fine."

Eli looks down at me with his green eyes. I understand what he's trying to say.

I whisper to him, "I know. It's okay. I'm safe."

He grabs my hand under the table and I give it a squeeze.

The rest of the day goes by pretty uneventfully. Eli and I are walking hand in hand towards Morty.

"You up for some cleaning today?" I ask him.

He looks at me and I can't really read his expression. "I actually did some cleaning on my own the other day."

I immediately smile. "That's really good Eli."

"No it's not Clare." I look up at him extremely confused.

"It was the day Fitz came back. I was, well I was angry. I just threw a bunch of stuff out without even registering what it was I threw out. What if it was something important? I can't get it back now." I notice his breathing start to pick up.

We stop by Morty's passenger door. "Eli, it's okay. Calm down." He just stares at the ground. "Look, how about you only clean when I'm around, okay? That way I'll make sure that you don't hastily throw anything out. Deal?"

All he does is nod. His rapid breathing beginning to slow down a little. I get an idea. "Hey Eli?" He slowly looks up at me. I grab the collar of his polo and pull him towards me. He immediately grabs my waist as always. This time, _my_ breathing starts to increase. Right as my lips graze his we hear someone clear their throat next to us. Eli pulls away from me and we both turn towards the noise. I feel Eli's body stiffen.

"I'm really sorry to interrupt, but I was just wondering, Clare you go to the church on Alden Avenue right?" Fitz asks me. Eli immediately takes a step towards Fitz. Fitz takes a hesitant step back.

"Um, yeah." I respond. Eli glances at me for a second. I know he doesn't want me talking to him, but again Fitz didn't ask anything wrong.

"Cool. Does the Youth Group meet on Tuesday nights?" He asks me.

I nod. "At six."

"Alright. Thanks Clare." Fits shifts his gaze from me to Eli.

"Sorry for interrupting dude."

"Yeah? Well how about from now on you don't talk to us?" Eli snaps back at him.

"I'll try not to." Fitz responds. "But if Clare and I are attending the same church and Youth Group…well." Eli starts walking towards Fitz.

"Do you honestly think we're buying this whole Christian charade?" Eli asks him.

"It's not a charade."

Eli scoffs. Fitz turns around and walks away. Eli turns back towards me.

"I'm going to church and Youth Group with you from now on." He tells me. I laugh. I know stupid response, but seriously Eli at church? Don't even act like it's not hilarious.

"What?" He asks me.

"You thing my religion is bogus Eli."

"That doesn't mean I won't come to make sure Fitzy boy doesn't talk to you."

I shake my head. We'll deal with this later. I grab Eli's hand and pull him towards me. "Now where were we?" I ask him. He smirks and visibly calms down. It sucks for Eli. I know kissing me is his weakness and I love using it to my advantage.

**Thanks for reading! Lemme know what you think. As always, reviews are appreciated. =]**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guys! Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! :D I'm thankful for all your sweet reviews and favoriting. Here is chapter five for you all! ENJOY :D**

"After you." I smirk down at Clare opening the front door. We both enter my house and are immediately greeted by my mom. Bullfrog works on Friday afternoons.

"Clare!" she exclaims as she practically runs towards us and gives Clare a giant hug.

"Hi CeCe." Clare responds. "Thanks so much for letting me come over today."

"Oh of course. You're a good influence on my baby boy here." I blush in embarrassment at the nickname. "And you're always welcome here Clare. You know that."

Clare smiles. "Thank you."

A slight pause befalls the conversation. I take full advantage of the opportunity to escape. Who knows what else CeCe will come up with? "Okay then. We're gonna leave now." I say as I grab Clare's hand.

"Sure, Eli. I'll be in the kitchen if you need anything. And Clare you are welcome to stay for dinner."

"Thanks." Clare states again as CeCe disappears. I start walking towards the stairs pulling Clare behind me, but realize she isn't following my lead. I turn around only to find her standing there staring into the kitchen.

"Clare?" I ask trying to bring her back to reality.

Her head snaps back and she blushes. For what reason I have no idea. I didn't smirk or anything.

"S-sorry." She mumbles. "You go on ahead. I want to go, um, thank your mom for the cheese cake she gave me last week."

Why would she blush about that? "Uh. Alright." I say letting go of her hand in total confusion and grabbing her bag from her. She smiles and walks towards the kitchen. I make my way up the stairs and drop our bags on my newly cleaned bed. I look around wondering where we should start. I wander around what little space there is in my room when my eyes fall upon the Vegas Night dance ticket. My thoughts race from Clare asking me in the hallway to Adam "ripping the bandage off" to my confrontation with Fitz to "Who's side are you on?" to my fake apology and finally to the intense moment where I honestly thought Fitz was going to stab me with Clare watching. I shake my head in disgust.

If you think I believe his whole "I'm a Christian" charade, you are insanely mistaken. I haven't completely wrapped my mind around his whole plan, but all I know is he is up to something. There is no way in hell Fitz is about to commit to a religion. It's like Clare letting go of hers. Doesn't make sense.

"Hey there." I turn around and see Clare walking, more like climbing, towards me. I grab her hand and maneuver her to me. I can't help but notice that she's got this huge smile on her face. She's beaming.

"Care to share the wealth? I could use some good news right now."

Her eyes immediately widen. "What do you mean?"

I laugh. "You can't stop smiling."

"Oh." She states as she looks down. Seconds pass and she looks up at me. "Your mom happened to recount a couple of stories about when you were younger. They were pretty hilarious."

I blush. Crap. I told you CeCe would come up with shit like this. "Glad you two are getting along so well."

"Me too." She smiles up at me. Her focus shifts to the room. "Where would you like to begin?" she asks me.

"What? We can't chill for a minute before we start cleaning?" I ask her.

"The faster we get this cleaning done," she says as she comes closer to me, "the faster we can 'chill' as you say." By chilling I meant kissing so that better be what she's thinking. I immediately grab a box.

"Let's get started." I say. We clean for about two hours before I am dead tired. It's draining. It sucks that something as easy as throwing a popcorn bin is so difficult for me. Other people throw these things away without a second thought. I fall back onto my bed and close my eyes. I hear Clare's footsteps walking towards the bed. I open my eyes as she takes a seat next to me. I sit up.

"You're doing a great job Eli."

"If you say so."

"I do." She grabs my hand. Out of nowhere my thoughts wander back to Fitz. I don't know why, but they do. "What is it?"

"Fitz."

"What about Fitz?"

"I just don't think he really wants to be Christian."

She sighs. "Look, I know it's hard to believe that he wants to be a better person, but why would he take so much time and effort into going to Christian Club meetings and church if he wasn't serious about it."

I know she won't like what I'm about to say. "I think he's up to something."

"Like?"

I take a breath. "Do I sound crazy if I think that he wants to get closer to you?"

She looks at me a little confused. "Why would he want to do that?" She's so smart, but she doesn't get the obvious.

"To piss me off. He knows I hate it when he's around you."

"Eli, not that your theory isn't valid, it is. And if it is true, you're giving Fitz all the satisfaction in the world by focusing your thoughts on him right now."

"I don't have a good feeling about this though." I state.

Clare sighs and shifts her body towards mine. Oh great, here come those damn lips of hers again.

**Hope you liked it! Reviews are appreciated =]**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey! Thanks so much for all the kind reviews guys! I'm really glad you're enjoying the story. This is a pretty long chapter, so please ENJOY! =)**

I stand there staring into my closet trying to figure out which dress I should wear to church today. As my eyes skim all the garments, I decide upon one of my more conservative dresses; after all, its church I'm going to. I slip into the dress and my thoughts wander to two days ago when I had to not exactly _lie_, but I didn't tell Eli the truth. There's a difference right? No, there isn't I know. I feel bad about lying, but he asked me why I was smiling when I walked into his room. That was my fault; I should've controlled my expression. I told him that CeCe recounted embarrassing childhood stories which I would've enjoyed; however, I confronted her about my feelings for her son. I know it sounds like the most awkward conversation, but she was really understanding. I talked to her about my little romantic past that was basically just KC. I couldn't help but smile when she started bashing on him and Jenna. I told her that I'm glad that happened or else I may not be with Eli right now. That led me to our current relationship. I tell her about how he's become my confidant, my rock. I talk about my beliefs and my purity ring. She immediately apologized for the first conversation we ever had. Anyways, it all came down to me confiding in her that I think I might be in love with Eli. I am so grateful for her response. She came and sat down next to me at the table and grabbed my hand as she recounted when she realized she loved Eli's dad. The fact that she was so open to me makes me so appreciative.

Now, I know. I'm pretty sure I love him. My feelings can't be put into any other words.

I walk downstairs and grab my wedges out of the closet. Both my parents have gone to a meeting with the divorce lawyer so I'm heading to church on my own today. It's not exactly that far, but I would've liked to have a ride. As I'm putting on my shoes, I feel my cell phone vibrate in my purse. I search for it; purses never have enough room for everything a girl needs. Once I find it, I look at the caller ID and smile.

"Good morning, Eli."

"Hey Blue Eyes. You ready to go?" He asks me. Ready to go where? Eli knows I have church Sunday mornings. Where would – oh no. Realization dawns on me.

"Eli, you're not seriously coming to church with me are you?"

"I told you I would."

I sigh. "Look, I'm already running a little late. By the time you get here-"

"I'm awaiting you outside as we speak." I turn around and peak out the window. Sure enough, there's Eli standing next to Morty.

"Hold up a sec. I'll be right out." I say in defeat. I put my cell phone back into my purse and slip into my shoes. It's not that I don't want Eli with me at church. It's just that he won't exactly fit in with his wardrobe and hearse. And he's definitely going to be a distraction. How am I supposed to focus on God when the object of my affections is sitting right next to me? My body goes crazy when I'm around Eli. I shake my head as I walk outside. I lock the door and turn towards my boyfriend.

Luckily, he opted to wear the one red scarf he owns on top of his all black outfit. Morty however is still with us. I walk up to him.

"I'll let you come on three conditions."

"Shoot, Edwards."

"One: You follow the rest of the congregation. When everyone stands up, you stand up. When they kneel, you kneel."

He rolls his eyes. "Fine." He grumbles.

"Two: Absolutely no PDA. Especially in the church. I need to focus. That includes holding hands. Consider me off limits."

His expressions falls. "Seriously Clare?"

I nod.

"I don't like that condition." He pouts. I'm not giving in.

"Nothing you can do will make me change my mind Eli."

"Oh really?" He asks me as he grabs my waist and pulls me towards him. Oh no. I squirm.

"Let go Eli." I laugh.

"Nope." He responds as his lips find mine. I try to fight him off and push him away, but he's a lot stronger than me. Eventually, I just give up and interlock my fingers around his neck. It's a good thing Eli is holding my waist. As cliché as it sounds, kissing Eli makes my knees turn to mush.

He's the first to pull away. "Why don't you leave the 'No PDA' rule for school Edwards?"

I try and regain regular breathing. After a little bit I look up at him. "Tempting Goldsworthy, but no. I'm serious; no PDA."

"Fine." He mumbles. "What's the last condition? No breathing?"

I roll my eyes. "No." I laugh. "You can't talk to Fitz, okay?"

"What?"

"Just don't talk to him or approach him. You always get aggravated around him and I don't want you to be like that."

"Clare, I told you I wouldn't fight him."

I nod. "I know. I trust you. Just make it easier on all of us and don't make a scene. Please, Eli."

He looks at me a little sad. "You know I'm better than that Clare. I especially won't do it at your church in front of your church friends. You should know that."

I give him a small smile. "I know. Just checking." I can tell he's still a little upset. "I'm sorry Eli. I just – I know how you get when you're around Fitz. I just want you safe. And when you're around him, I don't feel like you are." It's true. Even with Fitz's supposed change in character, he's still capable of anything and I'm as uncomfortable with Fitz around Eli as Eli is with Fitz around me.

He nods. Brilliantly, I lift myself up on my toes and give him a quick kiss.

He shakes his head. "You know I hate when you do that."

"Do what?" I feign ignorance. He looks at me and we both laugh. He turns around and opens the passenger door. I slip into Morty as I grin at Eli.

When we get to church we're a little late so we take seats in a pew further in the back. I'm paying attention to the pastor as he speaks when I feel Eli stiffen next to me. I sneak a glance at him and follow his eyesight. There was Fitz sitting a couple of pews in front of us on the opposite side of the church. As hypocritical as it sounds, I break my own rules and grab Eli's hand rubbing my thumb back and forth trying to calm him down. He looks down at me and mutely gasps. He snatches his hand from mine and points to the front of the church telling me to focus. I giggle pretty loudly causing those around us to look at me. Eli shakes his head as if I'm the bad one.

Eventually, church ends and Eli and I make our way into the sunlight.

"Clare, I'm disappointed in you." I look up at Eli. "You gave in before I did!"

"What? No. I was just trying to get your mind of Fitz."

"Regardless Miss Edwards, you broke your own rule."

I give into defeat as always. "I know." I mumble. Eli laughs.

One of my friends from choir makes her way towards me. "I'll meet you by Morty." Eli states as he walks away. I smile appreciating him giving me time to mingle.

I go around hugging those I know. Many ask about my parents and the divorce which is not at all any of their business, but I respond with the usual about being in God's hands. As I'm talking to one of my mother's friends from the Ladies' Group, my eyes fall upon Eli leaning against Morty. I smile and wave to him. I see him smirk and nod back to me. I focus my attention back to Mrs. Hanson. I spend a couple more minutes walking around talking before I finally start making my way back to Morty.

As I'm walking, I notice Fitz. And he's walking towards Eli. I freeze. I see Eli visibly become angry, his expression hardens. Fitz says something to Eli. Eli responds. Didn't I tell him not to talk to Fitz? I know, I know. It's hypocritical since I broke the "No PDA" rule, but I don't care. Eli and Fitz has never been a good combo. They're still talking and I slowly start walking towards them. Suddenly I register Eli walking towards Fitz. They're basically standing toe-to-toe. Oh no. I quicken my pace.

"Eli!" I exclaim. He looks at me. What happened to no violence?

Eli shakes his head at Fitz as he walks towards me.

"Hello Clare." Fitz states.

Eli sends him a death glare. What did he do? "Fitz, you should go." I repeat my words from Vegas Night.

As has become his usual, Fitz nods and turns around walking away from us, a bible in his hands. I look back and glare at Eli.

"What was that about?" I ask.

"Nothing. Don't worry about it." Don't worry about it? Seriously?

"Of course I worry about it. I care Eli. That's what people do when they care about someone."

"You don't have to worry okay? Let me handle this." Again with that.

"It never works when you handle it Eli. And I thought I said no talking to Fitz?"

"Hey! You broke the rules first." He laughs.

"I'm serious right now Eli. What did he say that made you mad?"

Eli looks down at the ground and takes a breath. "He came up to me and said 'Hello.' I just stared at him because honestly Clare what gives him the right to talk to me? Why is he talking to me? Anyways, then he asks me what my problem is when he's the problem to begin with. So I tell him that and he tells me that I'm just mad because he's changing into a better person after what happened on Vegas Night while I'm still the same old Eli." His jaw clenches shut and he forms fists with his hands at his sides.

I shake my head. "You're letting him get to you Eli."

"What if he's right?" I look at him confused. "He didn't lie Clare. I'm still the same guy who slipped Ipecac into Fitz's drink."

I shake my head. "No. Yeah you make stupid, stupid decisions sometimes," I laugh. "But I know you Eli. And you're not a bad person. You accept Adam the way he is, Fitz doesn't. You forgave me after I threw you under the bus in front of my parents. You let me in even if it took you some time."

A slight silence ensues. "Come on. Let's get out of here." He grabs me hand.

"I'm still not happy with how you handled the situation Eli." He looks down at me. "Did you have to act all badass and go toe-to-toe with him?"

"What's so wrong with trying to look threatening?"

"You shouldn't have to if you don't plan on fighting him." I say quietly.

We both get into Morty and Eli turns to me. "I'm sorry. I know you don't like the whole violence thing. I just don't believe his stupid charade. I don't want him thinking he can come back and everything is okay. I don't want him thinking he can just waltz in here talking to us. That's not how it works."

"I know. But a promise-"

"I intend to keep my promise." He says looking at me. "What I don't want is him coming here and getting it easy. If he honestly plans on becoming a better person and apologizing or whatever, which I still think is part of a plan he has, he's got to work hard to get me to be civil to him."

I know I'm a forgiving person and all. I mean I forgave Jenna after all she did. But I agree with Eli. It's not like I want to forgive Fitz anyways. He almost caused me to lose Eli and I don't want to think about that.

I grab Eli's hand. "I trust you."

**And that concludes chapter 6. I hope you liked it! Lemme know what you think. Just so you know, everything is about to go down in the next couple of chapters. Reviews are, as always, appreciated. =)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey there folks! =) I'm REALLY glad you guys are enjoying the story. Thanks so much for all the reviews! You guys are too sweet. Please enjoy!**

After dropping Clare off back at her house, I slowly drive back home thinking about what happened earlier. During my conversation with Fitz today, I saw hints of the "old Fitz" and his whole stupid plan is confusing the hell out of me. I can't figure out where he's going with this charade of his. I honestly thought it was to get closer to Clare. Call me an overprotective boyfriend if you want, but I don't like him around my friends. But then the second Clare comes, Fitz always retreats. It doesn't make sense. Screw this. I need to focus on something more important. Yeah that big four month anniversary surprise hasn't really gone anywhere; time to call for backup. I reach a stoplight and grab my phone quickly texting Adam to meet me at The Dot. I alter Morty's course and make my way to Degrassi's favorite coffee shop.

I enter The Dot and take a seat at one of the tables by the window. About ten minutes later, Adam shows up. He makes his way over to me.

"What's up man?" He asks me taking a seat.

"A lot of shit Adam."

"That doesn't sound too good. What's going on?"

I look up at him. "Fitz, he-"

"Ugh!" Adam groans. "I hate Fitz."

I laugh. "Yeah, I got the memo a while back when you almost got us both beat up."

"But we didn't." He smiles at me.

I scoff. "Yeah no thanks to you. Thank Clare for setting off the stink bomb."

Adam rolls his eyes. "Always picking her side." I shove his shoulder. "Just playing man. But what's really happening?"

So then I tell Adam everything from beginning to end since Fitz came back. "I know he's up to something. I just can't figure it out."

Adam stares out the window in thought. A small silence falls upon our conversation. He shifts his attention back to me. "I don't know Eli. I don't get where he's going with all this _if_ he actually is acting."

I look up at him in disbelief. "Don't tell me you're falling for it."

"I'm not. I'm just reminding you that as small as a possibility it is, Fitz could actually be legit about this whole becoming Christian thing."

"I doubt it." I shake my head. "Anyways, this isn't why I asked you to meet me. I kind of need help." I look up at him.

"With?" He asks me.

"Clare..." I trail off.

"Trouble in paradise, _again_?" Adam asks me in disbelief.

"No!" I laugh. "It'll be our four month anniversary on Saturday."

Adam immediately grins. "Intense. What are the big plans?" I stare off to the side. "You haven't planned anything yet?"

"That's why I need your help." I admit.

"Dude you two owe me after all the time and energy I invest in your relationship."

"Hey whatever man." We both laugh. "Honestly though. It's gotta be perfect."

"Try and stray away from what's expected."

I think for a second. "I want to end the day at the abandoned church we found."

"That's cute." I look at him annoyed. "What?" he laughs. "I'll help you decorate it."

"But I want to do more. I just can't pinpoint exactly what I want."

"Care to enlighten me on some ideas you may have?"

"I want to be able to show her how much she's helped me progress since day one."

"So do some sort of timeline."

"A timeline?" I ask very confused. How the hell is a timeline romantic?

"Yeah. Like a scavenger hunt. Lead her through your relationship and end it at the abandoned church."

I let that sink in. It's not completely horrible. "Adam, you my friend are a genius."

He grins at me. "What can I say?"

"There's one more thing."

"Yeah?"

"Do you think it'll freak Clare out if I…" I trail off again.

"If you..?" Adam asks me. I don't respond. "Eli whatever it is, if Clare hasn't been completely freaked out by you yet, I highly doubt anything else will." I send him a death glare. "Oh come on Eli. You know it's true. I'm just stating the facts man."

As much as it angers me, Adam is right. Clare's still with me even after Julia, Vegas Night, hoarding, everything. "So if I tell her I love her, she won't freak out?" Adam drops his cell phone onto the table and I swear if his eyes got any bigger, some crazy shit would happen. "Great." I mumble. Crap. If Adam's this surprised by it, I don't even want to think about Clare's response.

Adam shakes his head coming back to reality. "Sorry man." I nod my head. "So you two lovebirds are finally admitting you're in love?" He asks me putting unnecessary emphasis on "in love."

I shrug my shoulders. "I am. Clare, I'm not so sure-"

"Clare loves you man. Trust me."

"Did she tell you?" I ask suddenly getting very hopeful.

"Well, no." Commence disappointment. "But anybody can tell you two are in love. Took you long enough to figure it out." He laughs.

"So you think it's a good idea to tell her?"

Adam nods.

"I hope you're right."

"When am I ever wrong?" I scoff and roll my eyes.

I show up to school the next morning in the same stupid uniform and make my way to my locker. After getting home from The Dot, I started making plans for Saturday and if I must admit, what I came up with is pretty amazing. Clare's a sucker for romantic stuff; I mean come on vampire fiction? She's gonna love what I have planned. I smirk to myself.

"Someone looks happy this morning." I look up and see Clare standing next to me.

"Only because a very important day is coming up soon."

She immediately blushes. "Eli, you don't have to do any-"

"As a matter of fact I do Clare. I'm pretty sure it's written somewhere in the boyfriend handbook."

We both laugh as the bell rings and we depart to our individual classes. I pretty much zone out my teachers as usual. I'm too wrapped up in Saturday's plans. Let's just say I have a lot of work to do if I'm going to make this work. Eventually, the bell signaling the beginning of lunch rings and I start walking to my locker. As always, Clare's standing there putting some books away.

"How has your day been going Blue Eyes?" I ask her.

"Boring. But we have English next period!" She responds way too excitedly.

"I'll never understand why you like that class so much."

"What? It's fun."

I laugh. "Fun? You need to get out more often Clare." I smirk at her.

"Shut up!" she laughs as she playfully hits my shoulder.

"Ouch!" I exclaim as I feign a shoulder injury.

"Don't you two always look cute?" Both Clare and I look towards where the voice came from and find Fitz standing there. Seriously? Jerk has the worse timing.

"What do you want?" I ask him sternly. Wouldn't you think he'd get the idea that we don't want him around us by now?

"I was just coming to ask _Clare_ when the next Christian Club meeting was." He responds matter-of-factly.

"It's on-" Clare responds, but I cut her off.

"When are you gonna give this up?"

"When are you going to stop accusing me of acting?"

"When you stop acting." I respond. I see Clare glaring at me out of the corner of my eye.

"You know what Eli? You're just jealous because I actually have something in common with Clare and you don't. When can you ever talk to Clare about religion when everyone knows you don't believe in anything?"

"Fitz that's enough." Clare jumps in.

He shifts his gaze to Clare while it takes all my self-restraint not to punch Fitz right here right now. "You're right. I'm sorry Clare that was wrong of me." He shakes his head. "I apologize." He says as he slowly walks away. Yeah, right. There is no way in hell Fitz is legitimately apologizing right now. What the hell is he up to?

Clare clears her throat next to me breaking me out of my trance. I look down at her curious. "What?" I ask her.

"That could all have easily been avoided if you just let me answer his question."

I shake my head. "You don't get it Clare."

"You're right Eli. I don't get it." She says starting to walk away. What the hell? Last time I checked, Fitz verbally attacked me. I grab her arm and spin her around to face me.

"Did you not just hear his outburst towards me?" I ask her.

She nods. "I heard it. And that's exactly why I hate when you talk to him Eli." She stares up at the ceiling in frustration. "Sometimes, I honestly feel like I care too much and you don't care enough." She mumbles.

"Of course I care Clare. My method of caring is different from yours. See my way of caring is making sure Fitz doesn't want to talk to us. When he's far away from you, then I'm okay; I'm not worried. Because like you said, I worry because I care." I smirk down at her.

She sighs in defeat. "You are very convincing Goldsworthy."

"Thanks." I smirk at her. I glance around and quickly give her a gentle kiss.

She looks up at me eyes widening. "Relax Clare. I checked. No administration in sight."

She visibly calms down and laughs. "One of these days we'll get caught Eli."

I smirk. "Don't worry about it. If that day every comes, which it won't, I'll handle it."

She playfully shakes her head at me as we make our way to the cafeteria.

The rest of the day goes by smoothly. No stupid Fitz encounters. At the end of the day, Clare and I are walking down the front steps and I wait with her. She's supposed to spend the next couple of hours with Alli.

"You can go Eli. Alli should be here any minute now."

"No chance Edwards. You're not getting rid of me that easily." I smirk at her just as Fitz and Own walk past us. My body goes rigid.

"Let it go Eli."

I look down at her and smile, reassuring her that I'm not jeopardizing our relationship, _again_.

"And drive home quickly. It supposed to rain today and I don't want you stuck in the streets when it's pouring. You told me yourself Morty's been acting up lately." She looks up at me with worry in her eyes.

"Yes, mom." I sarcastically respond.

She laughs. "I'll call you later when I get home tonight."

"Sure." I nod my head. Like she's been doing a lot lately, Clare grabs the collar of my polo. I smirk down at her and pull her towards me. She lifts herself up on her toes and brings her lips to mine. Have I mentioned how much I love this girl?

"I see you're still playing kissy-kissy with Eli." Clare pulls away from me and her eyes widen in excitement. She looks towards the end of the steps.

"Alli!" She exclaims as she runs toward her best friend. I've never really talked much to Alli. She seems the epitome of the high school girl driven by popularity and what not. But Clare has told me a lot about how Alli helped her find herself freshman year and how much Alli helped Clare after the second most stupid guy on earth (Fitz being the first of course) cheated on her. As much as Alli has done for Clare, I think Clare has done a lot more for Alli. But maybe I'm just biased. I'm not saying I don't like Alli. Actually the first words I ever heard out of her mouth were "I get it Clare, you're in love with Eli." I laugh to myself. I doubt Clare knows I heard Alli say that. Hopefully that's true now.

I focus my attention back to the two girls. Alli laughs at something Clare says and then looks at me. She immediately smiles and walks up to me. Clare just stares at us a little confused.

"Hi Eli."

"Alli." I nod my head.

"Look, I know you and I don't exactly run in the same circles or whatever, but I just wanted to thank you for how much you've helped Clare with her family problems. I've had a lot of my own the past couple of weeks and I haven't been that great of a friend to her; especially since I don't even go to Degrassi anymore. But she told me about all that you did." She pauses. I think of something to say, but Alli continues talking. "Clare's the kindest person I know. She's never intentionally hurt someone. But she's been through a lot. She's like the poster child for the whole 'bad things happen to good people' saying." She laughs under her breath. "But," she looks up at me, "you're the first thing that's been good for her and good to her. I just wanted to say thank you. Clare has always tried to give everyone else the happy ending, it's about time she had her own."

As crazy as it may sound, that may have been the best compliment I have every received. I clear my throat a little caught off guard. "I really appreciate that Alli. Thanks."

She looks at me and I reciprocate her smile. She lightly touches my arm before turning around and skipping back to Clare. Clare smiles and waves at me before they both go off to have their "girl time."

I make my way towards Morty not even registering Fitz standing nearby. On the drive to my house, I realize that what Alli said was the exact boost I needed. No more doubting. On Saturday, I'll, according to Adam _finally_, tell Clare I love her. I pause registering what I'm actually going to do. Shit man. Now I just have to make it through the week.

I walk into my house and head up to my room. Grabbing a random comic, I hop onto my newly clean bed. I flip through the comic, but barely register what I'm reading. Thoughts about Saturday keep popping back into my head. After about an hour and a half, I hear the rain that Clare warned me about falling outside. It's a crazy downpour out there.

I decide to take a quick nap before I start on my homework when I hear my cell phone vibrating on my desk. I snatch it, glance at the caller ID, and flip it open. "Hello and thanks for calling Hotel Eli. How may I help you?" I smirk.

Clare laughs on the other end. "Hi Eli. I just got home."

"Cool. How was your day with Alli?" I ask her.

"It was great!" Clare exclaims. "I've really missed hanging out with her." She pauses. "What did you two talk about earlier?"

"Oh just the usual about how amazing I am."

"Could you be more smug?" She asks me for the millionth time. "Don't even answer that. I know. _Absolutely_."

I laugh. "Don't mock me Edwards."

"So you went straight home after school right?"

I sigh knowing what she's implying. "Yes, Clare. I didn't even glance at Fitz."

"Good." I can just see her smiling on the other end. "Um, Eli?"

"Yeah?"

"There's something I want to tell y-" She's cut off by the sound of her doorbell ringing. "Hold on just a second. I have to get the door."

"What could possibly be more important than talking to me?" I say as smug as always.

"If you give me second to open the door, I'll let you know." She laughs. There is a pause as I assume she's confronting whoever is there.

The next words she utters make everything around me physically freeze. "_Fitz!_" she exclaims. What?

"Clare?" I ask. No response.

"Clare?" I ask again a little louder. Still no response. Screw this shit. I swear the God if Fitz goes anywhere near her…I shake my head trying to regain control. I grab my jacket and Morty's keys and sprint out the door ignoring the confused expression I imagine is currently on my parents' faces.

**So sorry for leaving you at a cliffhanger. But I'll update as soon as I can. Thanks SO much for reading. I appreciate reviews. They make me happy =]**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hiya! Again, I just want to give a huge THANK YOU to all you reviewers/favoriters. Seriously, you guys get me so motivated. So, here is chapter 8. I really hope you like it. Please Enjoy! :)**

My smile falls as I open the front door and see Fitz standing there in the pouring rain with a very evident cut on his cheek. His expression looks sad and conflicted. I don't even know what to think. Why is here at _my_ house? What happened to him? I take a second to digest the scene as I lower my arm holding the phone to my side. "Fitz?" I exclaim in shock.

"Clare, I'm sorry to bother you like this." What's going on?

"Fitz, what happened to you?" I say as I eye the blood on his face unconsciously forgetting the fact that Eli is still on the other line.

"That's actually why I came by." He clears his throat. "I wouldn't be telling you this, but I respect you a lot Clare. You're like a saint and I think it's only fair that you be told the truth when you're always going around telling others the truth." He pauses and looks at me. I give him a confused expression because I honestly have no idea what all this is about.

"After school today, I was standing in the school parking lot with Owen. We were joking around, talking like always. Then, I spot Eli making his way towards me. At first I thought he was just walking to his hearse, but he passed it and kept walking. He confronted me about how he thinks everything I'm doing about my new faith and my new character is a charade." What? What the heck is Fitz talking about? Eli told me he went straight home after school. "Anyways, so then there was an exchange of words that eventually led to this." He points to his bloody cheek.

"Eli _hit_ you?" I ask in complete bewilderment.

He nods. "I wasn't even trying to provoke him. I-I don't know. It just happened. Afterwards, when I didn't fight back, he turned around and left. Again, Clare, I wouldn't have told you unless I thought it completely necessary. I know how much you disapproved of our stupid feud before, so I just thought you should know."

There is no way Eli would have broken his promise and then lied to me about it. No way. I look at Fitz angrily. "I don't believe you and I would really appreciate it if you would stop trying to provoke Eli by getting me to distrust him." I snap at him.

His expression saddens. "Clare, I know you have no reason at all to believe me. Heck, if I was you, I wouldn't believe me. But ever since the Vegas Night incident, I've really changed. I've found God and right now religion is my priority, not fighting and bullying. That was the old me and I'm done with that. I don't know how to convince you to believe me. But think about it. If I wanted to hurt Eli, and I mean really hurt him, there are other things I could've done. Lying about a petty fight isn't really going to make a huge difference."

I don't doubt his last couple of words. It's true. Fitz brought a freaking _knife_ on Eli last time. Trying to put a wedge in our relationship isn't really as drastic. I shake my head. Eli wouldn't lie to me. He wouldn't. Not after all the drama we've been through. I firmly stand my ground.

"Just leave Fitz, ok? I trust Eli a lot more than I trust you. This wouldn't be the first time you tried to use me to get to Eli." I know that Fitz knows that Eli cares a whole lot about me. If Fitz breaks us up, then both Eli and I would be…destroyed…for lack of a better word. It makes a whole lot of sense if that's what Fitz is trying to do.

He sighs. "Clare, if I was trying to use you to provoke Eli, I would use different tactics. Well, the old me would have used different tactics. I'm not like that anymore." He pauses. "I'm sure you know about Owen and Alli on Vegas Night." I nod my head slowly. "Owen almost forced Alli into it." I shudder at his words. "I could have done something similar."

My eyes widen in shock and my jaw drops. He's seriously admitting right now that he could've forced me into doing _stuff_ with him?

"But I didn't Clare. Because that's not who I am anymore. I just want to show you that if I hadn't changed, I would've done something drastic like that. But I'm different now. And I would never do that. If I'm lying, then I'm breaking a commandment. I'm just starting out with a clean slate with faith; I don't want to do anything to mess that up."

I feel everything around me spin faster and faster as I realize that Fitz is telling the truth. Eli _lied_ to me. He _lied_. He broke his promise. My breathing quickens and my eyes begin to water. And to think that I defended him just now. I close my eyes.

"Clare, I'm really, really sorry. I know that you trusted Eli." I look up at him. "I just thought that you should know. Maybe Eli will tell you next time he talks to you but-"

"He didn't tell me." I whisper.

"What? I'm sorry Clare the rain is really loud."

"He didn't tell me." I repeat. "I just talked to him on the phone. He didn't tell me."

A slight silence ensues. "I'll leave you alone now Clare. I know this must be hard to deal with. Whenever I feel let down now, I pray for answers. Maybe you should too." He turns around and walks down the steps. "I really am sorry. I wish I could go back to before this stupid feud started and made sure it never began, but I can't do that. All I can do is try to make it right today. I'm hoping by telling you the truth, I'm doing that."

All I can do is nod my head as he walks down the street. I bring the phone up to my ear, but know there's no use. Eli must've hung up by now. I hear the dial tone. I hang up the phone and walk outside closing the door behind me. Knowing Eli, he's probably on his way here right now; coming to make sure I'm okay. I take a seat on the top step and hug my knees to my chest. The awning above me shelters me from the rain. He broke his promise. He lied. After I forgave him for _everything_ he put me through with Julia and Vegas Night and the mixed signals. I know I haven't been perfect in our relationship. But I honestly thought that we were making progress. Heck, I was about to tell him I loved him. Yeah, it would've been over the phone, but I felt the need to tell him. But now. I sigh. What's wrong with me? Why can't I ever get it to work? Why can't at least one thing in my life work out the way I want it to? I let the tears fall. I don't want to believe Fitz. I have no reason to believe him. But all he said made perfect sense. Eli just couldn't let it go. He's always trying to "handle" things. He sucks at it.

I begin sobbing as I see the hearse carrying the boy I've come to love inside. He parks along the curb and runs towards me. How can someone be so…well, beautiful on the outside, yet so cruel on the inside? He sprints up the steps drenched from the rain, concern in his eyes.

He kneels down in front of me, taking my face in his hands. I shiver under his touch. He searches my watery eyes for answers. "Clare, what happened? Why was Fitz here? Did he do something to you?" I slowly shake my head from side to side. "Then why are you crying? What did he say?"

"All he did was tell me the truth." I say slowly.

"I don't get what you mean." He tightens his hold on me and fixes my wandering eyes to his.

"You didn't tell me the truth. You _lied_." I say in disgust trying to break free from his grasp. He lets me go and freezes in his position. I stand up and turn away from him. Here it comes. The inevitable fight and break up. I never expected it to happen this quickly after we just started to get better.

"Clare, I didn't lie. About anything. What did he say to you?"

I slowly turn around and face him. "It'd be nice for you to own up to it Eli." He looks at me, complete bewilderment etched on his face. "Does today after school ring a bell?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You know for someone who always accuses Fitz of keeping up a charade, you're a pretty good actor yourself." He still looks at me in shock and confusion. "You punched him! You broke your promise."

"Clare, I never did anything! I told you I went straight home after school."

"Then would you care to explain to me why Fitz showed up at my house with a cut on his face?"

"I don't know. Dude's a menace. He must've got in a fight with someone."

"Yeah, with _you_! He told me what happened in the parking lot after school today. You hit him Eli."

He starts shaking his head at me. "This is what Fitz told you? That I punched him?" I just hold my gaze at him in response. "I can't believe that you believed him. I don't understand. For someone who's always telling me she trusts me, you have an odd way of showing it. You're always on his side when it comes to these things. I promised you I wouldn't do anything Clare and I _didn't_."

"Sure Eli."

"What? You don't believe me?"

"You don't exactly have a clean track record when it comes to honesty Eli."

"And Fitz does? He almost stabbed me in front of you!"

"He's different now."

Eli scoffs at my statement. "Different? Yeah, sure. I told you he was up to something. I knew he had some malicious plan up his sleeve. Can't you see that he came here trying to convince you that I'm wrong? You and I both know that Fitz is well aware of how protective I am of my friends." He looks down at the ground. "You're my weakness Clare. And Fitz used that to his advantage." He looks up at me. "He knew I would hate it when you took his side. I wouldn't be able to take it. He succeeded." I'm speechless. I don't even know what to think anymore. I open my mouth, but no sound comes out.

He stands there awaiting my response. When I don't say anything, he shakes his head. "Just forget it Clare." And with that he turns around and walks back towards Morty. I stand there on my front porch crying my eyes out. The one person I've come to truly love in this world just walked out of my life. And I let him. I didn't even put up a fight. It's the coward in me.

I stand there staring at the rain pounding onto the sidewalk when I notice a figure walking towards me. For a second my heart flutters as I think its Eli. Because in my fantasy he'd come back. And we'd figure it out like we always do. But this is reality and it's not Eli walking towards me, it's Fitz. What more could he possibly want?

"Well that was entertaining." He states as he stands at the bottom of the porch steps.

"What?" I ask him.

He laughs. "My plan worked."

I stare at him in utter disbelief. "Your plan?" I choke out.

And then he goes into a speech that mirrored everything Eli told me. "I'm the one who lied Clare. Because of Eli, I got arrested, _twice_. So I wanted some revenge. It's as simple as that. I don't give a crap about religion. I just used it to decrease your doubt of me. Hell, all I wanted to do was make sure you and Eli broke up. Best way was to get you on my side; to get you to trust me over him. Which I did." He stands there with a smile on his face. My throat thickens. I screwed up.

"You're a horrible person Fitz." I tell him tears streaming down my face. My breathing quickens.

He shrugs his shoulders. "Last time I checked I'm not the one who believed a guy from juvie over my own boyfriend."

I think of a response, but come up with nothing. Because this time Fitz isn't lying. As horrible as Fitz is, I was even more horrible to Eli. And because of my stupid and constant fear of losing Eli, _I_ was the reason I lost him. _I_ believed Fitz. _I _called Eli a liar. _I_ yelled at him when all he was trying to do was figure out why I was crying.

Fitz turns around and walks away, but I barely register him anymore. All I can see is Eli's dejected face staring at me. All I see is his disappointment. I betrayed him. And now because of me, I lost him.

I've come to realize that fear is my enemy. I was too afraid to tell Jenna to back off. I was too afraid to confront my parents so I used Eli as a pawn. I was too afraid that I would end up alone after my parents' divorce so I threw myself at Eli. And now, I was so afraid that I was going to lose Eli to his old ways that I became the reason I lost him. I've been a weak person; always letting fear control me.

I turn around and walk back into my house grabbing a random box and making my way to my room. I know what I need to do. I need to talk to Eli. And I know what I'm going to say.

I screwed up. Plain and simple. This is my entire fault. Sure Fitz may have developed a plan to break us apart, but _I_ was the one who fell for his plan even after Eli warned me a million times not to believe Fitz. And now both Eli and I are hurting because of me, not because of Fitz. I start grabbing the objects I need. I need to make this right. I just pray to God that Eli hears me out.

All I need is for him to give me two minutes. Two minutes for me to apologize and beg for his forgiveness. Two minutes for me to prove I trust him. Two minutes for me to convince him that I will no longer be a coward and allow fear to overtake me. Two minutes to tell him I've fallen in love with him. Yes, that's all I need. Two minutes.

**Ookie dookie. Thanks for reading! I'll update ASAP. Please let me know if you liked it. Reviews are always appreciated. =] **


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey! I'm sorry I haven't been able to update quickly. I was feeling a little under the weather the past couple of days. So, this chapter is a little longer than the other ones. It was challenging to write, but in the end I'm happy with the result. I really hope you like it. Please ENJOY! =]**

Betrayed…Angry...Confused...Destroyed.

That's how I feel right now recklessly driving Morty back to my house. She believed _Fitz_ over _me_. Fitz of all people. She immediately trusted him without even considering that I was telling the truth. After everything, she just stood there staring at me as I became drenched in the rain.

So this was his plan. I knew that bastard had something up his sleeve. The sad part is that his plan wouldn't have worked if Clare hadn't decided to take his side. From the beginning, he needed her to set his plan into motion. He knew that the best way to get revenge against me was to break us up. She fell for it after I warned her countless times not to believe him. But the first chance she got, she turned her back on me. This right here is why I was so guarded after Julia died. Because people can be ruthless and horrible. I thought Clare was different. I really did. I found myself falling for her so quickly because she was the epitome of everything I admired and respected. But now, I don't even know what to think.

My eyes burn as I park Morty along the curb in front of my house. The rain pounds loudly on the windshield. I'm so confused. I've never felt so betrayed before. How can I love someone who doesn't trust me? It doesn't work that way. But if it's not supposed to work that way, then how come I'd still do anything for this girl? How come if she was in trouble, I'd get to her as fast I possibly can? How come I still care about her?

As much as I feel like I'm turning my back on Julia for saying this, I've never felt so strongly for someone as I do for Clare. I never fell this deep, not even for Julia. It's true that Julia was something special and will always be a significant presence in my life, but I've never felt this destroyed. I lost Clare. Just like that. After _everything_ we've been through, she's gone too. And I don't know if I can handle losing the most important person in my life again.

I shake my head as I slowly exit the car into the cold rain. I gradually make my way to the front door and let myself inside. I know my parents are probably like "What the hell?" right now with my somber expression and drenched clothing, but I honestly don't care. I'm not in the mood to talk about this right now.

Sure enough there my parents are, sitting on the couch.

"What's going on Baby Boy?" My mom asks me. I turn to her and simply shake my head as I make my way up to my room.

I stumble through the pile of junk in my room as I make my way towards my bed. I eye a box only about half full from when Clare was here before. I slowly reach my hand out and grab it. Just like before when Fitz first came back, my jumble of emotions takes over me as I snatch random objects and furiously and rapidly drop them into the cardboard box.

Why did she have to believe him? When things were finally looking up for us, why'd she have to go and turn her back on me? I needed Clare. As pathetic as it sounds, I still do. But for someone who accused me of lying, she's the liar here. She's always telling me that she trusts me, but the first chance she got, she accused me of being dishonest.

I notice the box slowly piling up with whatever object I blindly put into it. But right now I don't care. Whenever Clare and I fight or there's some sort of conflict, we always talk it out. We make things work. But this…I don't know if we can patch up what she decided to break down.

I'm scared. We've both come to rely on each other and I don't know if either of us can make it alone. But I can't just ignore what happened earlier today. I can't shrug it off as a minor mishap. Distrust can destroy a relationship and I'm almost certain that's what it has done to Clare and I.

Suddenly, I hear a small, almost silent knock on my bedroom door. "Mom, now is really not a good time."

"It's me." Her soft voice responds. I freeze. I don't even know how to respond.

"Can I come in Eli?" she asks me. I bend down and gently put the now overfilled box on the floor. "Please?" her voice breaks. I can picture her standing in the hallway, inevitable tears streaming down her cheeks right now. Her normally cheerful voice is merely a whisper. No, no, no. She can't come in. One look at her like that and I'll break. Like I said, if she needed me right now, I'd be there in a heartbeat. But this would heal her pain, not mine.

"Eli?" she asks again. "Eli, I'm so sorry. I know you didn't lie." My throat thickens. What happened after I left? "Fitz came back and told me." My blood boils. That asshole was probably standing somewhere watching his plan unfold before him. I shake my head in disgust. "Just give me a chance to explain." I hear her small fist lightly pound on the door. "Please."

I slowly make my way towards the door, my body gravitating towards her voice. I stop and grip both sides of the door frame and rest my head gently on the barrier between Clare and I. "I don't know if I want to hear your explanation Clare." I say slowly.

I hear her sob on the other end. "Please Eli." Her weak voice is slowly breaking me down.

But I have to protect myself right now. "You believed him over me." I say a little louder and with more rage in my voice than I intended.

"I know. I screwed up. I-"

"Yeah, you did Clare." I cut her off. "You don't trust me."

"But I do Eli. Please just let me in for two minutes and hear me out. Then, if you still want nothing to do with me, I'll leave." It's not that I don't want anything to do with her, how can she even think that? "I'm not leaving until you listen Eli. You're not getting rid of me that easy," she restates one of _our_ sayings.

Clare's as stubborn as I am and I know she'll probably camp out in the hallway until I open the door. But I don't want to give in. Does she not understand how…hurt I feel? "What happened before…what you said…it was painful Clare."

"I know Eli. I was a horrible person to you." Her sobs become louder. Oh no. I close my eyes trying to zone them out, but it's impossible. I slowly grasp the cold medal of the doorknob and twist it. I take a breath and slowly open the door to the most tragic sight I've ever seen. I've seen Clare cry before, but this. She looks completely broken and destroyed, just like how I feel on the inside. I visibly see her blue eyes light up for a second when I open the door before they slowly return back to their dark state.

I turn around and make my way back into my room. I hear Clare's soft footsteps follow me. I keep my back to her. "Eli, I-"

"Would you like to explain how in the hell you could believe _Fitz_ over me?" I snap.

She begins sobbing again. It's like she knows it kills me when she does that. Against my own warnings, I turn around and look at her. The girl I'm in love with is standing there crying and I'm just standing in one spot. She looks up at me. "I was afraid Eli."

"Of what?" I ask as I cross my arms against my chest.

"That I was going to lose you," she whispers as she looks down at the ground.

"Clare, you're going to have to elaborate."

"I've been a weak person Eli." I shake my head. Clare's the strongest person I know. What's she getting at? "Yes, I have." She takes a breath. "Fear is kind of my enemy. I've always succumbed to its power over me. Never once have I tried to fight it. Whenever I'm afraid, I do stupid things. I stand by and watch as different aspects of my life crumble. With the whole KC thing, I didn't want to believe the obvious attraction between him and Jenna. And when I finally stood up for myself, my plan backfired and it was too late. And then my parents started fighting and I began to freak out that my family life would fall just like the one relationship I ever had did. Again, I was so scared that something was happening that I just stood by and watched. That is, until you came along," she laughs under her breath before she looks up and meets my eyes. "You were so stubborn and just had to interfere that I ended up writing that letter to my parents. Granted it didn't really help their situation, but it helped me understand a little more about what was going on."

"Where are you going with this Clare?"

"Just listen Eli. Please." I nod my head urging her to continue. "But then everything got worse with my parents and I used you to get back at them. Little good that did me. I was so scared that I was going to lose my family that I resorted to pathetic things to get my parents to stop the divorce. It didn't work. Anyways, you know the rest so I won't go there. But my whole point is that in the midst of all this fighting and crumbling, you brought me joy. You're my rock." I can't help but lightly smile at her words. "But then fear crept back into me and with Fitz coming back I was terrified that I would lose you. I trust you Eli. You need to know that. But I was so scared that Fitz would bring back that side of you from before that the first time I heard that the 'old Eli' was back, I believed it. Because I was so afraid it would come true, I manipulated myself into believing that it did. I made a mistake Eli. I'm sorry that it took Fitz telling me the truth for me to believe you, but the moment I knew that I screwed up, I had to come and talk to you. I need you Eli. Can't you see that? The second I thought I lost you, everything went dark in my life. I'm so sorry."

I take a moment to register everything she said. The tears continue to flow down her face. It's not that I don't believe Clare. I trust her. If she's apologizing right now, I know she means it. But, damn, she still believed Fitz. I don't know if I can get over that.

"You didn't trust me Clare. And that's a problem." I say angrily.

"I do trust you Eli."

I shake my head. "You don't really have good way of showing it."

"Wait here." She turns around and goes back into the hallway. What the hell is going on?

She returns with a box in her hands and shoves it into my arms. I look down. It's nothing but a box of items, just like a bunch of others in my room. "What's this Clare?" I ask her a little confused.

I didn't believe it was possible, but her face turns even more red. "It's, um, well.." she takes a breath. "It's my life, Eli." My eyes wander back down to the box and I register a couple of photo frames and a very familiar pair of headphones among the pile. I still don't get what all this is about. She reads my puzzled expression. "I want you to keep the box."

"Alright…" I respond. I mean it's not like I have already have a room with boxes just like this one.

"I trust you with it." I look up at her. "What I'm trying to say is that I trust you with my life Eli."

Wow. She's making it really difficult to stay angry at her. I set the box on my bed. "Look Clare, not that I don't appreciate that, I really do, but when stuff goes wrong, I'm always the one that gets burned. And I don't think I want to be in that position anymore."

A silence befalls our conversation. I don't think we've ever been as vulnerable as we are now. But I can't even acknowledge that because I'm furious with how she handled what happened earlier.

"There's one more thing."

"Clare, you're trying to fix something that can't be fixed right now."

A new flow of tears begins. "B-but Eli. I can't lose you."

"You should've thought about that before you believed Fitz over me." I know she said that she believed Fitz because she was scared of losing me, but I still don't understand why she refused to believe me so wholeheartedly.

"But I, um," she rambles and trails off. No. She's not doing this right now. "I lo-" Seriously?

"You're honestly going to stand there and tell me you love me when just a little while ago you couldn't trust me?" I yell. She jumps back at my tone. I shake my head. "Right now, you're trying to do anything to get me to forgive you. I can't believe you'd honestly stand there and lie to me right now."

She looks at me in shock. "I wasn't lying Eli."

"Yes you were!" I take a breath. She's a jumble of emotions right now; there's no way she means this. "You're so scared that I won't forgive you, that you're willing to say anything Clare. So much for standing up to fear."

She looks at me with a pained expression on her face. "You know what Eli? I wasn't lying. I came here to tell you that I trust you. I completely trust you. And I came here to tell you how I felt about you. But obviously, you don't feel the same, so I'm going to leave now." She turns around and walks towards the door. She stops and glances back towards me. "You need to hear it Eli. I love you." She pauses. "The problem is still distrust, but you're the one who doesn't trust me." Her words knock the wind out of me and I stand there frozen; in shock at what she said.

I take a seat on the edge of my bed next to her box of stuff. I'm so confused. What just happened? Suddenly I see my mom at my door. "What happened with Clare? She just ran out crying. Granted, she was crying when she came here, but she looked miserable just now."

"Thanks, mom. I really needed to hear that."

She sighs and walks over, taking a seat next to me. "What happened Eli?"

So then I tell her everything; the whole story from beginning to end. "And I just don't understand how she can stand there and tell me she loves me when she doesn't trust me." I take a breath and shake my head.

"Both of you are too stubborn for your own good." I look at her a little confused. "Eli, I'm not saying Clare was right to believe Fitz over you, but you didn't believe her when she was telling the truth either."

"What are you talking about Mom?"

"When Clare came over last Friday, she told me she's in love with you." I stare at her in shock. My mind wanders back to that day and Clare's blush as she walked into the kitchen and the grin on her face as she walked into my room. Oh shit. "Eli, she admitted she loves you before this whole Fitz thing happened. She didn't say it as some desperate attempt to get you to forgive her."

"Shit." I mumble.

My mom laughs. "Yeah. She screwed up, and so did you. But let me tell you something. If you two didn't mean so much to each other you wouldn't have hurt so much when she believed Fitz over you and she wouldn't have been so distraught when she left earlier."

So Clare wasn't lying. And I didn't trust her. Crap. And now she thinks I rejected her. She thinks I don't trust her. And she thinks I don't love her. I've got to set things straight. She came over here to do that, now it's my turn to do the same. I just hope she forgives me. It's not like I forgave her when she came apologizing. Shit. She couldn't have gone far right? I mean she only left a little while ago. She's probably still on her way home on her…oh no.

"Mom?" She looks at me. "Do you know how Clare got here?" My breathing begins to quicken.

"On her bike like always, wh-" Realization dawns upon her. "She's going to be okay Eli. It's okay."

"You don't know that." I say sternly as I get up and frantically search for Morty's keys. Images of Clare drenched in the rain, tears streaming down her face blocking her view of where she's going flood my mind. Sounds of screeching tires across the concrete echo in my head. Not again. This can't be happening. I find the keys and sprint out of the room. "Eli!" I ignore my mother's shout and my dad's totally perplexed expression as I run out the door again and into the constantly pouring rain.

**Sorry for leaving it at a cliffhanger again. I'll update as soon as I can! Please let me know what you think :) Reviews are appreciated and when I read them I smile :D**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey there! Firstly, I just want to say THANK YOU SO VERY VERY MUCH for your reviews. I know I said they make me smile, but I teared up at some of them last time. You guys are too adorable sometimes. I'm just really happy you like the story. So please, ENJOY! =]**

So this is what pure, honest rejection feels like. It's like I'm stuck in that horrible dream where I open my mouth to yell, but no sound comes out. The dream where I feel helpless and terrified. The dream where I'm left alone, searching and failing to find someone to help me. The dream without any hope. The only dream that makes reality seem like a fantasy. And right now, I'd give _anything_ to fall asleep and become trapped in that dream. I'd give _anything_ to escape the miserable feeling overtaking me.

The rain pours down on me from the dark sky above as I slowly peddle my bike back towards my house. My clothes stick to my skin as my curls are flattened by the rain. I blink rapidly trying to keep a view of what's in front of me. Kind of hard to do when the rain is blown towards my face and my constant tears trickle down my cheeks.

He didn't forgive me. I tried everything in my power to convince him otherwise, but I failed. I handed my life over to Eli and he flat out rejected it. And when I told him I loved him, he accused me of lying. I've never been so vulnerable and open to anyone before as I was to Eli and he just cast my feelings off to the side. This is why people become so guarded. Our hearts and our feelings are so fragile and delicate that they can easily become broken. It takes complete trust in someone to open up to them like I did to Eli. Unfortunately, I made a mistake. And now I'm broken and I'm not sure if I can be put back together.

I know it may sound dramatic, but right now, I've hit rock bottom. And when you're here, everything becomes pitch black and dark. There is no light to offer you hope. I've been told that slowly over time that light reappears. But right now, it seems impossible.

The wind pushes hard against me. I can't believe I'm stuck out here in the cold storm. Seriously God. Where are you? I could use a little help right now. Have you-have you forgotten me? I sob louder as I continue to peddle. A speck of light God, that's all I'm asking for right now.

All of a sudden, I hear a car coming down the street from behind me. So far, the streets have been relatively empty. People have been smart enough to stay indoors. I glance to my side and notice the familiar hearse drive past me and suddenly come to a halt. I stop peddling and pull the brakes on my bike as I come to a complete stop. I watch as Eli parks Morty along the curb on the opposite side of the road. He opens the door, takes a moment to glance around, and then rapidly rushes towards me. What's going on?

"Clare!" I hear him exclaim as he gets closer to me. I just stare at him in bewilderment. He didn't exactly make it seem like he wanted to talk to me when I was walking out of his room. "Clare!" He repeats as he comes to a stop in front of me.

His hands cover mine on the handlebars. "Clare, you need to come with me and get in Morty." I don't know if it's my hands that are shaking from the cold or if it's his hands that are shaking.

"Eli, what's going on?"

"Please Clare. Just get in the hearse." He pleads with me. I register his rapid breathing. I've come to learn that it signals if something happened pertaining to his hoarding.

"Eli, you need to calm down. Are you alright?" I ask him concerned.

"No Clare. I need you to be safe in the hearse. Now please get-get off the bike." My eyes widen in realization. Oh no. My mind travels back to when Eli first told me about Julia. _"We had a fight. It got messy. I said things I shouldn't of. She was really upset. Took off on her bike into the night." _Eli's eyes pierce mine. I immediately and clumsily get off the bike. I kick out the stand and grab Eli's hands.

"I'm okay Eli. See? I'm okay. Nothing happened."

He begins pulling me towards the hearse. "Please come with me and get in Morty."

I oblige and follow his direction. He stops me before we cross the street as he searches frantically for an incoming car. "Eli, it's safe. We can go." I say slowly and softly to him.

He looks back at me and I nod towards the hearse. Quickly, Eli pulls me over to Morty. He opens the passenger door. "Get in Clare." I slip into the car.

Eli's hand is still holding mine. "I'm okay Eli. Thank you for getting me safe." I squeeze his hand trying to help him calm down.

He shakes his head back and forth quickly. "No-no. I shouldn't have just let you go like that. This is all my fault. Again."

"No Eli. I didn't get hurt. I'm alright." He looks up at me and I give him a small smile. He lets go of my hand.

"I'll go get your bike." I nod my head as he disappears. Finally, I sit and try to comprehend what just took place. Everything happened so quickly.

There I was lashing out at God and then Eli just showed up. I don't want to convince myself that it was anything more than a coincidence. Eli didn't come because he wanted to talk to me. He came because it's natural for him to lose control like that when it comes to anything relevant to Julia and his hoarding. He needed to get me safe. Which he did. I've come to decide that if I don't hope for something, I can never get hurt or disappointed when it doesn't happen.

But I just cannot logically explain why I couldn't handle seeing Eli like that. I should want nothing to do with him. I should be going far away from this hearse. But no. Here I am, trying to help Eli calm down. Trying to make Eli feel safe and comfortable again. Because sadly, I'm wholeheartedly in love with him.

I close my eyes and take a few deep breaths trying to regain composure. When I open my eyes, I notice Eli putting my bike in the back of the hearse. I finally register my shivering hands and my chattering teeth. I wrap my arms around my chest and rub my hands up and down my arms trying to get warm. It's all very pointless since my clothing is drenched. I hear the door next to me click open as Eli gets into the driver's seat.

Nothing follows but silence. He mutely looks over at me. I stop fidgeting and stare down at my feet. I notice him scoot closer to me and wrap something around my shoulders. I touch the fabric and realize it's his signature black jacket. He must have gotten it out of the back of Morty. '

I glance up at him. "Thank you." I say softly.

He starts up the hearse and begins to drive towards my house. I stare out the window at the pouring rain. So what now? Eli drops me off and that's it? Or are we going to talk this through? What do I say to him? I can't be vulnerable like that again, especially if he's going to turn away from me. Like I said, he hurt me. And I'm not forgetting that I was horrible to him earlier today. I know he had a right to be furious and angry at me. I just honestly thought our relationship was strong enough to deal with this. After overcoming all these obstacles, I truly believed we would never stumble and fall again. I was wrong. I seem to be wrong a lot lately.

I swallow the lump in my throat. Obviously, both of us hurt each other today. I'm not sure if I can make it through a full conversation with him as we try to build up what was broken down by our actions and our words earlier. But when I thought that I would never get a chance to be with him again, like I said, I felt miserable. I don't want to feel that way. And the second Eli comes back, that feeling is pushed aside. Yes, concern and worry took its place, but at the time he easily maneuvered that feeling away from me.

He may have broken my heart earlier just as I am sure I did to him, but he's also the only one who can put it back together right now. I can only hope that I'm the only one that can fix his too.

Finally, Eli pulls up to the curb in front of my house and stops the hearse. He switches off the ignition and begins to fiddle with the keys.

I try and think of something to say, but I come up with nothing.

"Clare, I, um." He looks out the windshield. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let you run off like that. That was stupid of me."

I shake my head. "No, it's okay. It was my decision to ride my bike back home."

"It doesn't matter. You shouldn't have had to ride your bike in the rain. I'm really sorry."

"I, um" I take a breath. "I forgive you Eli."

He looks over at me. "And about what I said earlier, I-"

"Eli, I said I forgive you. For everything that happened. It's okay. I'll, um, I'll be fine." I close my eyes trying to fight back the tears because I knowingly just lied to Eli. I'm sure I don't look fine drenched and on the brink of tears.

"Clare, lying never was your forte." I look up at him and blush. "But you did a pretty good job of it on Friday." My eyes widen. "After you left, CeCe told me what you told her."

All I can do is nod my head. Great. So my boyfriend, or I think he's my boyfriend, knows I pathetically went to his own mom for love advice. Splendid.

"I'm sorry I didn't believe you when you told me. I was a deadly mixture of emotions."

"It's alright. You had every right to be mad." I pause and take a breath. Here goes attempt two at apologizing. "I am so sorry Eli. I never thought I would believe Fitz over you. I made a huge mistake. For once something was actually good in my life, and I was so scared that it would be taken away from me. I guess I ended up forcing it out of my life myself. I didn't mean to. But Eli, I trust you. I completely trust you. I-I just…" I trail off as the tears begin to escape my eyes.

"It still doesn't justify how rude I was to you Clare. I'm sorry. And I want you to know that I trust you. I just was so confused about what happened with Fitz and how you…betrayed…me," I wince at his words, "that I didn't know how to respond but to push you away. I have a habit of being guarded and not allowing people in. And when I finally let you in, I shut you back out the moment something went wrong. I want to apologize for that."

I take a moment to register what he told me. "I accept your apology Eli."

He takes a deep breath and looks at me. "Distrust is a horrible thing Clare. If we're going to make this work, we can't let it back in again."

I nod understandingly. "You're right. I promise you Eli. I won't be a coward anymore. Especially not when it comes to fear. At least I'll try really, really hard not to." I laugh under my breath.

He reaches his hand over to my lap and I intertwine our fingers. I know it may seem like we just forgot what happened, but Eli and I have always dealt with conflicts in our relationship. We talk it out and we forgive each other. We've learned how to move on because fighting and conflict is inevitable. No one gets along perfectly. Taking how different Eli and I are, we obviously disagree on many things. Taste in music, clothing, religion. But one thing we have in common is that we care about each other. And we worry about each other because we care. And we both know that we're kind of a wreck without the other.

"I guess we're stuck with each other then." I say as I look up at Eli.

"Edwards, I'm not here out of obligation or because I'm stuck with you. I'm here willingly." He smirks at me. I blush. "Come on, let's get your bike." We exit Morty and I follow Eli to the back of the hearse. He lifts my bike out and I follow him towards my front door in the rain.

So here we are. Standing in the driveway. Fitz's plan didn't work. Granted, I honestly believed it did. But I guess my relationship with Eli is just as strong as I thought it was if not stronger. Sometimes, we get lucky enough to find the one person that will forgive us even if we make incomprehensible decisions.

And that's what love is. Love is trust. And I trust Eli enough to forgive him if something goes wrong.

I look up at Eli who's standing in front of me. I blush at his signature smirk. "Sorry your jackets all wet." I say as I finger the damp fabric.

"Don't worry about it." A slight silence ensues. I take a step closer to Eli and slowly and hesitantly wrap my arms around his neck. He pulls me closer to him and I cling to him in a tight embrace.

I guess that's something I've loved about being with Eli. It just seems so natural when I'm around him. I close my eyes, relishing in the embrace; the perfect moment. He pulls away from me.

I look up at him as he moves my damp hair out of my face. "Clare Edwards?"

"Yes?"

His green eyes gaze into my blue ones. He pauses. I blush under his stare and look down at the ground. He rests his fingers under my chin and lifts my head up to face him. "Clare?"

"Yes?" I repeat as my breathing begins to lose natural rhythm.

"I love you." I lied. _This_ is the perfect moment.

I grin and jump up into Eli's arms. He laughs and I immediately join him. He lowers me back to the ground.

Slowly, I lift myself up on my toes and Eli bends his head towards mine. We meet each other halfway and believe me being kissed in the rain is so much more than movies and books make it out to be.

**Yay! :) Thanks for reading! I hope you guys liked it! I know it may seem like I rushed them back together, but if you haven't noticed, in the show, they forgive each other pretty easily so I tried to convey those same characters. Let me know what you think. Reviews are appreciated because they make me so freaking happy :)**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hello! Thank you guys for reading my story and for all the amazing reviews! You didn't think I would build up all this hype for Saturday and not tell you what happens, did you? This is the final chapter of the story, but I hope that you guys ENJOY =)**

I slowly and groggily open my eyes and flinch back at the sunlight coming in through my window. I blink rapidly trying to adjust to the new light. I stretch my arms over my head. It's Saturday. No school. I can sleep in. You gotta love the weekends…

Suddenly, my eyes widen in realization. It's_ Saturday!_ I immediately sit up and pull off my covers. I freeze. Four months. We've been dating for four months. Four stressful, yet blissful months. Against my will, my mind goes into overdrive. _"You have pretty eyes. Sylvia Plath killed herself. Or you could take off? You care too much about what people think. AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Or maybe you're scared? Hi Eli, how are you? Fine, Clare. Thanks for asking. Who says I'm trying to impress you? Conflict resolution. So much for nonviolence. Don't worry about it, I got this one. Romeo you drank the high-fructose cola beverage, NO! There's something between us Eli and you know it. I'm sorry I led you on. This is where I killed my girlfriend. Your idea for that new ending, I like it. I have a French exam. I think you just passed it. Twist my rubber arm, girlfriend. Whose side are you on? Having fun on your date Judas? Bet Fitzy's a real dreamy kisser. Eli, he has a knife! Three weeks and I'm still in the doghouse? Could I convince you to stay out for some contraband kissing? Who are you? Because I'm scared, Eli! You tried to hurt them, but I'm the one that got burned. We're really different aren't we? Opposites attract. I'm losing everything I love. Not me. I'm not going anywhere. I want to spend the night with you. You have beliefs. This isn't who you are. I don't know who I am! I don't really need a locker stalker right now. What did you do? It started after Julia died; the not throwing stuff out. You're the only thing that makes me feel like I could ever get better. Then I guess you're stuck with me. Just like you said I was stuck with you. You could work hard enough to earn a year's free stay at the Hotel Eli. This is where I deflowered Clare. How cheesy would it be if I said that mine already has?" _And then the more recent memories. "_Fitz is back. I'm going to church and Youth Group with you from now on. I trust you. Eli hit you? For someone who's always telling me she trusts me, you have an odd way of showing it. Fear is kind of my enemy. I trust you with my life Eli. Clare, you're trying to fix something that can't be fixed right now. You need to hear it Eli. I love you. Now please get-get off the bike. I forgive you Eli. Clare? Yes? I love you."_

I take a deep breath. Eli and I have been through a lot these past couple of months. And yet, through all our struggles and conflicts, we've managed to stay together. And I thank God everyday for bringing Eli to me. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't take a moment to just look at Eli and smile. I appreciate everything he has done for me. And I've tried to return the favor as much as I can.

I get up and walk over to my bathroom. I stare at my reflection and am amazed at just how much I have changed since I began my education at Degrassi. I smile to myself, proud of everything that I have accomplished.

"Clare?" I hear my dad calling my name from downstairs. It's his turn to spend the week with me. I walk over to the railing at the top of the stairs.

"Yes, Dad?" He looks up at me. I register a bouquet of blue tulips in his hands. My favorite flower. My eyes widen in disbelief and I immediately smile.

I run down the stairs taking two steps at a time.

"Where did you get those?" I ask.

"There was a knock at the door and when I opened it, these were lying there." He hands me the flowers and I happily take them. "I'm pretty sure they're not for me." I laugh as I stare down at the delicate petals. "There is a note." He points to the middle of the bouquet where sure enough a small white envelope sits.

I look up at my dad. "What are you waiting for? Open it." I grin as I slowly pick up the envelope. I open it as delicately as I can, trying to savor it as much as possible. I take out the card inside and immediately notice the handwriting. _"Good Morning, Blue Eyes. Happy Four Month Anniversary! I've planned a day for you that could possibly be as amazing as I am, although you know how impossible that is." _I laugh to myself. Eli as smug as always. _"So go get dressed and head over to where you and I first met. Love Always, Eli."_

I stand there blushing and staring at the note and the flowers. I can't believe Eli did this. And there's more. I shake my head in disbelief.

My dad's voice brings me out of my trance. "From Eli I assume." I look up at him and blush a deeper red as I nod my head.

"Yeah, um, it's our four month anniversary." I say in response.

My dad nods his head. "Well, that's good." I look up at him confused. "Your mother told me about how Eli helped you through everything. We'd both really like to meet him again whenever he has time."

I eagerly nod my head. "That sounds great Dad. Thank you." I say as I gently give him a quick hug. "I'm going to go get ready. It says here that he has this whole amazing day planned out for me." I laugh.

"Go ahead." I run back up the stairs and set the tulips on my bed. I walk over to my closet and ponder over what to wear. As I'm searching through the hangers, my eyes fall upon a red silk dress that my mother and I bought a couple of weeks ago. It has long sleeves and drapes down to the mid-back showing off a little more skin than I normally do. To balance it, the front of the dress covers up to my collarbone and it rests just above my knee. There was no occasion for it, but once I tried it on, we both knew that I had to have it. I take the hanger and hold the dress up to me in front of the mirror. I grin to my reflection. This is the dress. I change into it and apply my always subtle makeup, but add a bit of shimmer on my eyes. I curl my ginger hair a bit more than usual. Next, I grab my black heels and put all I need in my little black clutch. I take a step back and am pleased with how I look. I can't stop smiling as I glance back at the tulips. I walk over to my drawer and grab Eli's present. As romantic as Adam's party for Fiona was, I can't help but think that Eli has something much more romantic planned.

I walk down the stairs and it's like prom. My dad is sitting down on the couch in front of the television and he twists his head back to look at me. He looks at me with that whole "my little girl is all grown up" look on his face. I smile and look down.

"You look beautiful Clarebear."

"Thanks Dad."

"Is Eli picking you up?"

I shake my head. "He told me to go to where we first met. I guess he's waiting there for me."

"Be safe and don't be back too late." He gently kisses my forehead.

"See you later Dad." I turn towards the door and walk out.

I start walking towards the front of Degrassi where Eli ran over my glasses. I laugh at the memory. He made me nervous the first moment I saw him. Stupid Eli, always making me blush. I wonder what he has planned. Why does he want to meet me there? What else could he have planned? As I ponder over all these questions, I recognize someone standing in the exact spot where Morty shattered my glasses.

Only it's not Eli. I could have sworn the last time I saw Eli he didn't have blond hair and a baby bump. "Jenna!" I exclaim as I run over to her and give her a hug.

"Hey Clare!" She laughs as she returns my embrace. "You look amazing!"

I pull back and look at her in disbelief. "Where's Eli?" I ask her.

"I can't tell you that. But Clare, it's so cute what he has planned!"

"Tell me!" I laugh.

"No can do Clarebear. But, I have been told to give you this." She hands me another small white envelope. I gently take it from her and glance at her before I open it. She smiles urging me to read the note. I open it as delicately as the first one and read the note in silence. _"I guess every great love story starts somewhere. And this is where our story began. All because I ran over your glasses. But what I said to you still stands true. Clare Edwards, you have pretty eyes. Now, go to where we first ditched class. I can't wait to see you. Love Always, Eli."_

I blush and look up at Jenna. "I can't believe he's doing all this."

She shakes her head at me. "You deserve it Clare."

I smile at her in gratitude. My eyes wander to her belly. "How are you feeling?" I ask her.

She laughs. "Clare, for once, please stop caring about everyone else and just focus on yourself. And Eli of course."

I laugh in response and give her another hug. "Thank you Jenna. I'll see you soon."

"Definitely. Now go!" I smile and turn towards the bench where Eli and I ditched class.

Eli got me, Saint Clare, to ditch class. I laugh under my breath. And that was when my attraction to him actually became real, honest feelings. Our relationship was so much more simple back then. But like I said, we've survived everything that has been thrown at us and everything that could possibly have gone wrong. From bullies to a divorce to distrust. We've been through it all and still came out strong.

I look down and read the note again. He can't wait to see me. Does that mean he'll be waiting for me at the bench? I quicken my pace and as I turn the corner I look up and again, no Eli. It's Drew waiting for me at the bench.

I walk up to him. "Drew?" I ask in disbelief. I don't exactly like him. He really hurt my best friend.

"Hi Clare." A silence ensues. Glad this isn't awkward or anything. "I know that you and I haven't really gotten along. What I did to Alli was wrong, I know that." I nod my head. "I want to apologize again for what I did. It was a stupid mistake." He shakes his head. "Anyways, this isn't about me. Adam asked me to help Eli with this, so here." He hands me another white envelope.

I give him a small smile. "Thank you." I say as I gently open the envelope. I look at the note. _"I bet you're going crazy wanting to see me. But good things come to those who wait so be patient. This is where we ditched class and where I realized for the first time that I genuinely liked you. I never thought that my little feelings for you then would transform to what they are now. I love you, Clare."_ I pause and take a breath. _"Now, make your way back to Degrassi where we had a little…encounter with Fitz. Do the words, 'don't touch anything' ring a bell? Love Always, Eli." _

I laugh at the memory. I look up at Drew who is smiling at me. "Thanks for helping Eli with this Drew."

"It's the least I can do. Just letting you know, he's done a lot to make this happen. I admire him."

I laugh. "Well, I have to keep going through this little scavenger hunt I guess. See you later."

He nods. "Bye Clare."

I turn around and make my way back towards Degrassi. I can't stop smiling. Eli didn't have to do all this. A simple dinner would have been enough. But no, this is Eli we're talking about and any chance he has to be amazing he takes.

I eventually reach Degrassi and I see Sav standing there where Fitz kicked Eli in the area where guys don't want to be kicked. I smile as I walk up to him. "Hi Sav." I say as I give him a quick hug. He's been like a brother to me since Alli and I are practically inseparable.

"Hey Clare. Eli told me to give you this." And of course he hands me another envelope. I grasp it and gently open it. I pull out the note. _"This isn't exactly my favorite memory, the reasons you already know. But, you accused me of trying to impress you. I know I tried to deny and shrug it off. You should know that I am always trying to impress you. Next, head over to the picnic table where Romeo kissed his Juliet. Love Always, Eli."_ I can't stop shaking my head in disbelief. Eli has planned so much for me.

"Thank you Sav."

"Don't mention it. Anything for Eli. He saved me from the wrath of my parents. Dude's amazing with cars."

I laugh. "See you soon Sav."

"For sure." I turn around and quickly make my way to the nearby park where Eli and I shared our first kiss. I can't even tell you how important that memory is to me. Granted, the repercussions of that kiss weren't exactly what I expected, but Eli eventually told me about Julia. All that matters is that we worked it out and moved on.

If I had known that I would be sent to all these places, I would not have worn these heels. I laugh to myself. Beauty from pain I guess.

I spot the bench in the distance and notice someone. When I get closer I realize it's Fiona. I quickly rush towards her and give her a hug. "Clare, you look fabulous! You look straight out of New York Fashion Week."

I laugh. "Thank you so much. I assume you have an envelope for me?" I ask her.

"Yup." She hands me another envelope. "This whole plan of Eli's requires me to have an intervention with Adam. He is definitely behind in the romance department." I laugh as I open the envelope. _"This is one of the best memories I have ever had Clare. We shared our first kiss here and even though it was for a school project, it still means a lot to me. I'm sorry about how I acted afterwards. I know it must have hurt a good amount. But this memory isn't just about our kiss. It's also about how I opened up to you about Julia. It was when I realized that I trust you enough to begin letting you in. And now you know everything. Thank you for respecting the fact that I needed a little more time to get over Julia. Thank you for always being there. I can't tell you how much it means to me. Now, don't get mad, but you have to go back to Degrassi again. I'll see you soon. Love Always, Eli."_

I laugh. "I have to go all the way back to Degrassi. Again. And in these heels."

"You look hot Clare. It's worth the pain."

I give her another hug. "Thank you Fiona. I'll see you later!"

"Bye Clare."

And I make my way back towards Degrassi. It must have taken Eli so much time to plan all this and to get all these people to help him. I still can't believe he is doing all this for me. Eli has every right to be smug. He truly is amazing.

Eventually, I reach the front steps in front of the school. My eyes widen as I realize Declan is standing there. "Declan!" I exclaim as I run to him and give him a hug.

"Propmaster Clare." I pull away from him. "I was visiting Fiona and she asked me to help with this. I believe this is yours." He hands me an envelope. I open it and read the note within. _"This refers to Vegas Night. We became an official couple after I very successfully passed my French exam. What happened at the dance I won't discuss, but on these steps you told me that you couldn't be with me if I kept up the violence. You don't understand how much those words tortured me for the three weeks you and I did not talk. I didn't want to think about not being with you after we finally got together. Anyways, I want to thank you for taking me back. I know that being with me can be an emotional rollercoaster, but you're one of the strongest people I know. You've handled everything better than I have. And I love you for it. Now, make your way to where we had our first official date. Love Always, Eli."_

It's like he's trying to make me cry. I blink back the tears as I look up at Declan. "Thank you."

"It's nothing Clare. I approve by the way. This whole thing sounds like something I would do." We both laugh.

I give him another quick hug. "Bye Declan."

He nods and I turn toward the Dot where Eli and I had our first date. We listened to Chuck Palahniuk, got matching piercings, and had a late dinner. Best first date a girl could ask for. What I did to him afterwards is not something I am proud of, but Eli forgave me. It's almost impossible for us to stay mad at each other.

I practically scream when I realize Alli is waiting for me. I run as fast as I can in my heels and cling to her. "Alli!"

"Clare! You look gorgeous! I love your dress! And your hair! Hell, I love you!"

"I love you too Alli!"

She hands me a white envelope. "It's pretty amazing, what he's doing. He's kind of perfect for you Clare. I'm so happy you got your happy ending." She looks up at me. "Clare, don't cry please. You'll ruin your makeup."

I laugh. "I'll try not to."

"Open it!" I follow her directions and take out the note. _"This is where we had our first date. And where I fell in love with First Date Clare. She kind of led me on the path to falling in love with you. Then, afterwards with the disastrous dinner with your parents and you're wardrobe at school, I was afraid that the Clare I was falling in love with was gone. But you never cease to amaze me Blue Eyes. You stayed strong through the divorce. Even though you broke down a couple of times and you lost yourself a little, I'm very proud of you for making it through. I am always here for you. I will always be your rock. I love you Clare. Now, go ahead and walk to my house. I think you know what that is about. Love Always, Eli."_

"Alli, remind me to buy waterproof mascara next time we go shopping." I say as I look up at her with watery eyes.

She wraps her arms around me. "Sure thing Clare. I love you. And I am so happy you found Eli."

"Thank you for everything Alli."

She pulls away from me. "Now stop hugging me and go!"

I laugh as I give her another quick hug and walk as fast as possible to Eli's house.

I look down at all the envelopes in my hand. I still cannot believe Eli did all this. This is the perfect gift.

When I turn the corner onto Eli's street, I immediately spot Adam waiting for me on the steps. I sprint over to him and give him a huge hug. "Clare, I need to breathe."

I pull away. "Sorry." I laugh. "Is Eli here?"

Adam shakes his head. I look up at him in disbelief. "Don't worry Clare. This note explains it all." He hands me another envelope and I quickly open it. _"Clare, I don't know how to put what I'm feeling into words. When I told you about my hoarding, I was terrified. You had every right to be scared away. But you weren't. And you immediately offered to help me with my room. I could never have made as much progress as I did without you. What this all comes down to is that I need you Clare. You…you saved me. You've put me back in control of my own life. Thank you so much. I know everyone calls you a saint, but I think the proper word here is angel. I love you Clare Edwards. Go to the abandoned church we found on one of our urban adventures. And yes, I will be waiting for you there. Love Always, Eli."_

I give up trying to fight back my tears. That is the kindest and most sincere message I have ever received. I look up at Adam. "Sorry." I say as I wipe my tears away.

He shakes his head. "Don't be. Now just go to the abandoned church. Eli's waiting for you there. I helped with the decorations!"

We both laugh as I give him another hug before departing towards the church. Elijah Goldsworthy is something else. I can't even express my gratitude in words. Thank you for bringing Eli into my life God. He's exactly what I want and what I need.

I walk in silence and in these thoughts towards the church. And when I get there, I stop and just stare. It looks like how it did for the party, but a lot more mellow. I notice a picnic made ready just like before. He went through all this for _me_.

And there he is. The object of my affections. He's standing in the middle of the abandoned church wearing his signature Eli clothing. Black jeans, black boots, untucked black dress shirt. I notice he is wearing a red tie that matches my dress as well. A smirk is very evident on his face. I continue to stand there in disbelief at all this.

"I was expecting you to run up to me like in those chick flicks you always make me watch." His voice states.

I sprint up to him and jump into his arms. He laughs. "I take it you are very excited to see me?" I pull back a little.

"Very." I admit as I blush. I look around. Eli, thank you for everything." I look at all the envelopes in my hand. "I will treasure these. You don't know how much every word you wrote means to me. And thank you so much for the flowers. They're beautiful."

"I was inspired by a certain someone." He responds. I smile up at him. "You look stunning Clare."

"Thanks. The tie?" I ask.

"I asked Jenna to text me since she would be the first person who saw you. Pretty slick, huh?"

I nod my head. "This is all too perfect." I murmur. "Thank you." I look up at him. He pulls me closer towards him and lifts my lips up to his. He pulls away.

"I love you Clare."

"I love you more Eli."

He shakes his head. "That's not possible."

I blush. "Before I forget…" I trail off as I open up my purse. I put the envelopes inside and grab a large envelope out. "This is for you." I hand it over to him.

He takes it and grabs my hand, lowering me down onto the picnic blanket along with him. We sit much like we always do. His arm around my shoulder, our fingers intertwined. "Thank you." He states.

"You don't even know what it is yet." I laugh.

"Doesn't matter." He gently kisses my temple before opening the envelope. I sit there watching him. I blush as my heart beats quickly.

He takes out the letter inside. I won't go into detail about what the letter says. But it's very much like what all of Eli's little notes to me were. It's all about how thankful I am for him and how much I appreciate him in my life. About how I need him, want him, and love him. I watch as he reads the letter, his smile growing as he continues through.

When he finished he looks over at me. I blush even more. "I..This means so much to me Clare. I can't even express to you what I'm feeling. Thank you." He gives me a gentle kiss and I relish every second of it.

"That isn't all." He looks at me confused. I reach back into my purse and grab a small box. "This too." He gently grabs it out of my hand. Slowly, he pops the lid open and pulls the ring out.

"I was wondering where this was." He states as he looks at his skull ring.

"Yeah, I got your mom to steal it for me on Tuesday after all that with Fitz happened. I hope you don't mind." He shakes his head. A small silence befalls our conversation. "Look at the inside."

He glances at me before he looks more closely at the inside of the ring. "You're my rock. Love, Clare" He reads out loud. He shakes his head. "This is amazing. Thank you Clare."

"It's so much less than what you-"

"No. Don't even say that. This means everything to me. Thank you."

I wrap my arms around his waist. "I got something for you too." I look up at him in disbelief.

"There's more?" I ask him.

He nods his head and reaches into his pocket. "I guess we both had the same idea." He hands me a small box. I slowly grab the box from him and gently open it.

In the box was a necklace with a small star made out of little diamonds as the charm. My jaw drops. "Eli…" I trail off.

"Flip it over." I follow his directions and notice he also got an engraving.

"You're my wish come true. I love you. –Eli." I read aloud. My mind wanders back to the night at the party. _"The stars are out. What's your wish? If I say it out loud it won't come true. How cheesy would it be if I said that mine already has?"_

"Eli…" I repeat, but nothing else comes out. I look up at him and give him a quick kiss on the cheek. "This whole day has been incredible. And this necklace. It's gorgeous. Thank you so much." I shake my head trying to comprehend how Eli managed to do all this.

"You're welcome." He grabs the necklace and I turn around as he puts it on my neck. I look down at it and smile.

He wraps his arm around my shoulder again and I snuggle into his side. "Eli?"

"Yeah?"

"I trust you."

"I trust you too."

"Eli?"

"Yeah?"

"I need you."

"I need you too."

"Eli?"

"Yeah?" He laughs.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

**Thank you for reading! :) I hope you liked the story. And its official: February 11th Degrassi Returns! I can't wait. Reviews are very much appreciated. Thank you! 3**


End file.
